www.spotsndots.com Subscriptions: $350 per year. This publication cannot be distributed beyond the office of the actual subscriber. Need us? 888-884-2630 or [email protected] The Daily News of TV Sales Wednesday, May 5, 2021 Copyright 2020. NRF EVEN MORE BULLISH ON SURGING U.S. ECONOMY AS ‘NORMAL’ RETURNS, AMERICANS SET TO SPEND ADVERTISER NEWS The U.S. economy is poised for a big comeback. That’s Hyundai and Toyota Motor kept ordering semiconduc- according to the National Retail Federation’s chief tors last year even after the pandemic crushed auto sales, economist, Jack Kleinhenz, who said that with more Bloomberg reports. Both were rewarded with record April businesses reopening and bringing employees back to work, deliveries. South Korea’s Hyundai sold 77,523 units last the U.S. economy is on firm footing and could see its fastest month, up 128% from a year ago. Toyota’s U.S. sales grew growth in more than three decades. 183% to 239,311 vehicles, including the Toyota and Lexus “The consumer is nearly always the key driver in the brands... Amazon will hold its annual Prime Day in the sec- economy, and with the consumer in good financial health, ond quarter, which is traditionally a slower time in the retail a sharp demand is expected to unfold over the coming calendar. Although it has yet to confirm a date, it likely will be months,” Kleinhenz said. in June, according to CNBC. The two-day shopping extrava- Although there is a great deal of uncertainty about how ganza has usually prompted rivals like Walmart and Target fast and far the economy will grow in 2021, surveys show to offer competing sales. By moving Prime Day into Q2, Ama- an increase in individuals being vaccinated, more willingness zon could be looking to soften the comparisons it will face as to receive a vaccination, increased spending intentions and it laps the stay-at-home lockdowns of last spring, when busi- comfort with resuming pre-pandemic behaviors like shopping, ness boomed… Under Armour raised its sales and profit travel and family gatherings, Kleinhenz said. outlook for the year following a 35% jump in Q1 sales. The “This feel-better situation will likely translate into higher athletic wear brand is expecting to see further gains as CO- levels of household spending, especially around upcoming VID-19 restrictions are lifted and social and economic activity holidays like the Fourth of July and returns to some approximation of pre-pan- spending associated with back-to-work demic normality… Bloomingdale’s has and back-to-school,” he added. held upwards of 50 shoppable livestreams Kleinhenz’s remarks, which were reported since the pandemic started, including a re- by Chain Store Age, came in the May issue cent collaboration with Sandra Choi, cre- of NRF’s Monthly Economic Review, ative director at Jimmy Choo, who talked which said NRF expects the economy to footwear trends and unveiled the designer grow 6.6% this year, the highest level since 7.2% in 1984. brand’s summer collection. The U.S. trails China in consum- The report said the latest edition of the Federal Reserve’s ers’ embrace of livestreamed shopping, but Bloomingdale’s Beige Book “affirms what the economic data has been and others see growth potential as life begins to return to signaling: U.S. growth is beginning to accelerate.” normal and people have reasons to dress up again... Wal- Among other favorable indicators, the $2.4 trillion saved by greens is expanding the assortment offered in its same-day households during February alone was approximately twice delivery program. Customers nationwide are now able to the average monthly savings during pre-pandemic 2019 and order more than 24,000 items directly from Walgreens for comes on top of savings accumulated over the past year as same-day delivery. Upon checking out of a digital commerce consumers stayed home rather than dining out, traveling or transaction on the Walgreens e-commerce site or app, shop- attending sports and entertainment events. pers can select same-day delivery, with no minimum order In addition, use of consumer credit is up, with outstanding required... Meanwhile, CVS Health Corp. reported a strong credit surging in February to its highest level since late 2017. Q1 with sales and earnings that topped Wall Street expecta- The increase “highlights a consumer who is growing more tions amid growth in all its segments... Gap Inc. continues confident as the economy accelerates, job growth picks up to streamline its brand portfolio to focus on its core banners. and more states lift burdensome restrictions,” Kleinhenz said. The retailer has entered into an agreement to sell luxury ap- NRF’s calculation of retail sales – which excludes automobile parel brand Intermix to private-equity firmAltamont Capital dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants to focus on core Partners. Altamont will acquire the entire Intermix business, retail – is based on data from the Census Bureau, which including all store leases, assets and e-commerce. Gap recently released its annual revision of retail sales going bought Intermix for approximately $130 million at the end back to 2013. NRF has revised its numbers accordingly, and of 2012. The retailer, which offers a mix of luxury brands, now shows 2020 retail sales of $4.02 trillion rather than the has 31 stores in the U.S. and an e-commerce site... Dick’s $4.06 trillion originally reported. But 2020 grew 6.9% over Sporting Goods continues to expand its national footprint, 2019 rather than 6.7% because 2019 was revised down to introducing new store concepts and upgrading existing ones. $3.76 trillion from $3.81 trillion. The sporting goods giant is adding a new off-price concept Even with the revisions, 2020 sales broke the previous — Going, Going, Gone! — to its portfolio, with grand open- record of 6.3% set in 2004 despite the pandemic. NRF has ings May 28 in Avon, Ind., and Monroeville, Pa. Dick’s said forecast that 2021 retail sales – excluding autos, gas and the new banner will offer “surprising deals on unique finds restaurants – will grow between 6.5% and 8.2% over 2020 to in footwear and apparel…” with deep discounts available between $4.33 trillion and $4.4 trillion. throughout the year. NEXSTAR Q1: CORE AD REVENUES DOWN 1.4% AVAILS Core local TV advertising at Nexstar Media Group, the Gray Television’s WMC TV, the NBC affiliate in Memphis, biggest U.S. TV station group, slipped 1.4% to $411.7 Tenn., seeks a Media Sales Consultant. The ideal candidate million in the first quarter due to comparisons with higher will be responsible for growing revenues in the pre-pandemic period — the first three WMC’s advertiser list, developing months of 2020. new business revenue and growing “We are seeing some clear differences in terms of the pace WMC’s market share through the sale of recovery in core advertising by geographic region and of commercial television spots, digital assets, sponsorships, reopening stage,” the company said in its earnings release. specials and sports at the highest attainable rates. Minimum “We expect core advertising to return to growth over the of two years in television/radio advertising and a bachelor’s prior year beginning in the second quarter of 2021.” degree preferred. Experience with Microsoft Office required. After last year’s presidential election CLICK HERE, then search by ‘WMC,’ season, political advertising was down and be prepared to attach you resume. almost 90% to $5.4 million from $55.3 WPBF 25, the Hearst-owned ABC affiliate million. Nexstar says new business Men only want one thing in the beautiful West Palm Beach, Fla., advertising revenue posted a strong and it’s to open both market, has an incredible opportunity for 149% increase to $27.8 million over the windows so we can get you! WPBF 25 is looking for a dynamic year-ago period. a cross-breeze going. sales superstar to join our phenomenal Distribution revenues, including sales team. The ideal candidate will retransmission fees, however, remained bring both Broadcast and Digital sales strong — up 13% to $621.2 million. Total FunnyTweeter.com experience and will possess the drive digital revenues grew 18% to $66.4 and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, highly million. Overall revenues were up 2% competitive market. Your creativity, $1.11 billion, with net income 26% higher to $199.2 million. originality and passion for developing new business will be encouraged and rewarded! CLICK HERE to apply. EOE. SINCLAIR’S ‘NATIONAL DESK’ SET FOR EXPANSION Fox TV is looking for an experienced OTT salesperson Sinclair Broadcast Group said it will be expanding The to manage, develop, assist and service business for the National Desk news programming to evening news time Fox local extension OTT platform (FLX). Prospect new periods on 68 of its stations, including all of its MyNetwork business; present FLX capabilities via Zoom and in- TV and CW affiliates, starting Sept. 27. person; act as category expert, working alongside Fox The National Desk newscasts will also stream on Stirr, linear sales teams; oversee all schedules throughout the Sinclair’s free OTT streaming platform, and on Sinclair’s campaign; and work directly with stations, advertising news websites. Sinclair launched The National Desk in agencies and clients to increase revenue for the FLX January in the morning on those 68 stations. platform. CLICK HERE for more info or to apply now. Nexstar, another large station group, last year launched Job Number: R50013912. EOE/M/F/Veteran/Disabled. NewsNation, a national newscast built on its local news KCCI, the market-leading Hearst Television CBS affiliate in operations. NewsNation launched on Nexstar’s WGN Des Moines, Iowa, is seeking an organized, detail-oriented America cable channel, which has since been rebranded team player who wants to grow their career in sales and as NewsNation. marketing. As a Sales Account Associate, you will work The anchors for the evening editions of The National Desk with the sales team on processing advertising contracts, have not yet been selected. Those editions will air from 10 obtaining creative materials, generating support materials PM to midnight (ET) and from 7 PM to 9 PM on the West and coordinating the scheduling and launch of advertising Coast. The National Desk currently runs daily from 6 to 9 campaigns. This individual will work closely with the AM (ET). advertising sales team, developing into a Sales Account Executive. CLICK HERE to apply. SYNDICATION: ‘FAMILY FEUD’ RISES ONCE AGAIN Family Feud retook the syndication and game lead in the See your ad here tomorrow! CLICK HERE for details. week ended April 25, beating out CBS Media Ventures’ Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, which tied for second. OUTLOOK: E-COMMERCE GROWTH TO PERSIST Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud, which is hosted by Steve A new report from eMarketer projects that retail e-commerce Harvey, previously held the lead from March 15 through sales in the U.S. will increase by 13.7% to $908.73 billion — April 4 until Jeopardy!, with guest host Aaron Rodgers, lower than last year’s 18% to $709.78 billion surge, but still scrambled back to the top during the NFL star’s two-week exceeds pre-pandemic estimates of 12.8%. stint ending April 18. The report predicts that apparel and accessories In the most recent scrimmage, Family Feud forged ahead e-commerce sales will grow by 18.9% once the pandemic 4% to a seven-week high 5.5 live plus same day national subsides, followed by food and beverage (18.1%) and household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, healthcare, beauty and personal care (16.1%). while Jeopardy!, with CNN’s Anderson Cooper at the Per eMarketer, the top two categories that will generate podium in the first week of his two-week run, skidded 7% to the most e-commerce sales in 2021 will be books, music a 5.1 to tie Wheel of Fortune, which slowed 4%. or video (69.1%) and computer and consumer electronics Fox’s 25 Words or Less posted a 0.8 for the third straight (53.2%). But toys and hobbies will take the next top spot in week. 2022. 5/5/2021

The Daily News of TV Sales @ www.spotsndots.com PAGE 2 CONNECTED TV’S STAR IS STILL ON THE RISE PARKS: OTT VIDEO SERVICE ADDITIONS COOLING Connected TV’s advertising was a beneficiary of pandemic Re-opening movie theaters could be OTT video’s loss. trends and remains one of digital advertising’s fastest- Parks Associates yesterday released new data from its growing channels, eMarketer says. Q1 2021 consumer survey of 10,000 domestic broadband Last year, linear TV decreased in importance to advertisers, households, finding that 41% of homes are now comfortable as cord-cutting accelerated and more programmatic CTV going back to movie theaters, including 50% or more of inventory became available than ever before. consumers aged 18-34. Not only has CTV advertising grown throughout the According to Media Play News, the research shows that pandemic, but it also rose at rates that were among the as movie theaters have jumped back to the top preference to fastest for any significant sector of the U.S. digital ad market, watch new release films, the majority of surveyed consumers thanks in part to the expanded availability of its offerings with are neutral or unlikely to subscribe to another OTT video scaled targeting through programmatic service just to watch a new release. buying options, as well as the greater “In Q1 2021, U.S. households are flexibility it offers compared with linear TV. starting to see the end of the COVID-19 U.S. CTV investments grew The research firm estimates CTV pandemic, and with that, they are starting by 40.6% year over year in investments in the U.S. grew by 40.6% to return to their original preferences to 2020 to more than $9 billion. on a year-over-year basis in 2020 to Spending is expected to reach watch new movies in a theater, with other more than $9 billion. Growth is expected $13.41 billion this year. people,” senior analyst Steve Nason to accelerate this year with spending said in a statement. “The pandemic roiled reaching $13.41 billion — a figure that will traditional content windowing, and with more than double by 2025. eMarketer some consumers ready to return to the Among U.S. marketers with digital video theater, the studios will have to continue in their media budgets, 60% said they to experiment with hybrid release were shifting ad dollars from linear TV to CTV and OTT strategies.” this year, per November 2020 research by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). While eMarketer expects linear THIS AND THAT TV ad spending in the U.S. to increase this year, it won’t fully More than a year after the start of the COVID-19 crisis, recover from its 12.5% drop last year, nor will it ever reach a majority of consumers are beginning to turn the page on pre-pandemic levels again. the pandemic, Tremor Video says. According to the data, 83% of consumers plan to either maintain or increase current CHIP SHORTAGE: INFINEON SEES 2.5M LOST CARS spending levels when returning to a more normal life, on German semiconductor maker Infineon Technologies average across categories. Consumers report that they said about 2.5 million cars won’t be produced in the first half plan to either maintain or increase their spend at the highest of 2021 due to supply chain shortages, Bloomberg reports. rates for the following categories: groceries (92%), beauty Infineon is a major supplier to automakers, who have been & personal care (86%), consumer electronics (84%), home struggling to obtain chips after cutting back orders due to the & garden (84%) and home entertainment (83%)... The U.S. pandemic. Now, with demand for both consumer electronics trade deficit hit a fresh record high in March as consumers companies and cars roaring back, companies like Infineon flush with government cash spurred a continuing demand for are ramping up supply. foreign-made goods. With a new round of $1,400 stimulus “There are roughly 1.5 million cars not being built in the first checks pouring in, the imbalance in goods and services with quarter, and 1 million vehicles not being built in the second,” the rest of the world swelled to $74.4 billion, the Commerce CMO Helmut Gassel told analysts yesterday. “That’s, we Department reported yesterday. That’s the highest level think, the best estimate that currently exists.” ever in a data series that goes back to January 1992, and Earlier this week Intel said the global semiconductor represents a 57.6% increase from the same period a year shortage roiling a wide range of industries likely won’t be ago and higher than the $70.5 billion in February. resolved for a few more years. MONDAY NIELSEN RATINGS - LIVE + SAME DAY AMAZON BUMPS UP THURSDAY NIGHT NFL ACCESS Amazon Prime Video is moving up by one year its exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football. The e-commerce giant/ streamer, beginning in the 2022-23 season, will have exclusive access to NFL games, with local broadcasts available as well in the teams’ home markets. Fox Sports, which had previously held exclusive broadcast rights through 2023, agreed to give up the 2022-23 season to Amazon in an amended agreement that reportedly will cost the streamer more than $1 billion in additional carriage fees. Amazon has exclusive streaming rights to 15 TNF games per season through 2032. Amazon first began streaming TNF games in 2017 when CBS had broadcast rights. Fox took over broadcast rights in 2018. 5/5/2021

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